On this day 150 years ago 30,000 Confederates under General John Bell Hood attempted to drive General Sherman and the Union Army from the east side of Atlanta. The Confederates went at the Federals in seven waves and seven waves were driven back. The most intense fighting happened around Bald Hill where savage hand to hand combat took place. Historians estimate that 4,000 Confederates died that day. The Federal loss was about 2,000. One of those killed was General McPherson- shot dead while riding along the front. McPherson was the highest ranking United States Army commander to die in battle. At the end of the day the Union held and the siege of Atlanta began. Atlanta finally fell on September 1st when Hood evacuated his troops from the city. The next day General Sherman sent a telegram to Washington- “Atlanta is ours, And fairly won.” After hearing the news of the fall of Atlanta war-weary northerners rejoiced and elected President Abraham Lincoln to another term. Enjoy a slideshow of images from the Atlanta Cyclorama below.